Mainstreaming the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) is no longer a matter of choice for Pakistan and must be carried out at the earliest according to wishes of the tribal people; the best methods for which could be a referendum or large-scale consultations with the tribal and key opinion leaders of the region.

As the country moves ahead steadily after the 2013 elections, certain key issues confronting the nation should be on the priority of think-tanks and research organizations with an aim to present policy-oriented advice.

This report discusses the present state of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and their future in Northern Areas (NAs) keeping in view the immense activity of NGOs there and the subsequent need for empirical research